


So Close

by BaneKicksDavid



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Gen, M/M, also heavily implied love between the two of these dorks, also water balloons, like super fluffy, lots and lots of water balloons, volleyball dorks being dorks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-14
Updated: 2016-04-14
Packaged: 2018-06-02 03:41:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6549151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BaneKicksDavid/pseuds/BaneKicksDavid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After their bitter loss against Aoba Johsai, Coach Ukai cooks up a plan to whip his team back into shape....or at least bring a smile to their faces. But all's fun and games until someone pisses off Tsukishima.</p>
            </blockquote>





	So Close

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this as a request on tumblr for an anon. Thought I'd post this here to share it with more people.  
> Please enjoy!

They all were up before the sun, huddling in groups to keep warm as dawn broke across the sky. The jackets they wore to keep out the cool summer morning air would be lost by noon, whether from the heat or the hell Coach Ukai would put them through.

Asahi…he wasn’t quite sure why he was there. Yes, he had received the call from Takeda-sensei the previous evening, right after getting home. Yes, even the third years were expected to be there for the ‘surprise training’ but…

It was still on all of their minds. The sweet cheers of victory and roaring sounds of Aoba Johsai chants as Oikawa was all but carried off the court from their slim victory over Karasuno. The blockers had been the true victor, having read Kageyama and Hinata’s attack pattern and tore the underdogs down from their steady climb to the top. 

They had eaten together and cried over the pain of being so close to victory, but the taste of loss was still on their tongues. Hinata, ever the bright ray of sunshine, could hardly keep his eyes on someone for more than a few seconds. All Asahi could think of was the first year blamed himself for the loss, but didn’t they all?

If they had been a little stronger, jumped a little higher or even been a little faster they could have overcome the difference in skill to beat Seijou. They’d be waking up right now, packing their bags and taking a bus to the arena to play another game against an even tougher opponent. But only winners remained on the courts. That much was certain.

Yuu had weaseled his way through the tiny crowd to where Asahi stood, eyes hardly opened and begging for a little more warmth. Asahi just signed and unzipped his jacket, letting the small libero worm his way in and snake his arms around his torso. He couldn’t let his friend freeze. Besides, he liked how Yuu felt wrapped in his arms. 

It wasn’t long before Ukai was there, Takeda-sensei right on his heels. Both of them struggling to carry large storage containers and the latter soaked to the bone. 

“Alright, alright,” Ukai said, “I know what you’re probably thinking, and this is for your own good. Yesterday, we tried our first shot of vodka, and it burned but today we’re going to build up our tolerance so we never feel that way again.”

“Ukai-kun…I don’t think that’s appropriate for high school boys to-”

“So we’re playing practice matches today?” Kageyama asked.

“Not quite. Something more fun.” Ukai’s grin was quite unsettling.

Hinata blinked. “But what’s more fun than playing volleyball?”

His fight or flight response was kicking in. Whatever their coach had planned couldn’t have been as been as grand as he was trying to make it out to be. It couldn’t have been volleyball related or they would have been in the gym instead of outside of it. 

On the count of 1, 2, 3, Takeda-sensei and Coach Ukai lifted the lids to the containers and every member of the Karasuno Volleyball team stared in silence.

Water balloons.

* * *

The rules had been simple:

1\. No leaving  
2\. Play until the water balloons were gone  
3\. No destroying balloons just to make them disappear quicker

And with that they were thrown out into the empty campus to fend for themselves. At first it had been fun, sneaking up behind people and soaking them from behind with two, maybe three, water balloons at a time. 

It all been fun and games until someone pissed off Tsukishima.

Tanaka threw a water balloon a little too high and hit Yamaguchi in the face. The little first year fell to the ground, hand holding the slowly darkening skin . It was truly the shot heard ‘round the campus.

Two balloons hit Tanaka square in the chest before a third hit him a little farther south. Tsukishima was still cradling a few more in his arms, his left arm posed to throw again.

“Yo, yo, yo, yo, calm down! It was an accident!” Tanaka’s voice was shaking. He was backing away slowly, arms up in a hasty surrender. “I was aiming for Suga, and he got in the way!”

“Apologize to Yamaguchi or you’ll see hell, Tanaka.”

“I already told you, it was an accident-”

“Tsukki, calm down. It’s not that big of a deal-”

Another water balloon was launched at Tanaka’s chest.

“Leave Tanaka alone,” Yuu yelled and threw a balloon in Tsukishima’s direction only for it to hit Daichi in the back of the head. 

They all stood in silence as the captain felt the back of his head slowly.

It wasn’t long before the flames of war erupted, tearing the team into two. 

* * *

Asahi had refused to pick a side. 

Suga had sided with Daichi, Tsukishima and the reluctant Yamaguchi, who was still trying to calm his friend from wrapping his hands around Tanaka’s neck for ‘injuring’ him. Hinata had lept to Tanaka’s aid, dragging Kageyama along for the ride. The other second years didn’t want any part of the “war of the regulars” and decided to play Switzerland, fueling both sides with water balloons. 

No matter which team he chose, Tsukishima or Tanaka, he was asked to pick which friends he preferred more. He didn’t think he could handle the loss of Yuu snuggling into his jacket for warmth on those cool summer nights or the perfect passes Suga sent him in practice matches. Both friendships meant too much to him. If it meant having a friend hate him then it wasn’t worth participating in the battle. 

He had snuck off before the lines between the parties had fully been drawn and found a secluded spot in the bushes to wring his shirt free of most of the water that clung to it. In the background, he heard the shouts and screams as balloon after balloon found its target. Some of the battle cries sounded harsh, as if they were pelting each other with volleyballs instead of water.

Several times Asahi thought he had been discovered, the scuffling a little too close for his comfort and he held his breath until the pounding of sneakers on dirt passed by. Only then would he let out a sigh and hope that Ukai’s whistle would sound throughout the campus, signifying the end of their little game. 

Finally the rustling of the bushes became a little too close for comfort and he didn’t have enough time to bolt before a familiar face popped through the bushes. 

“Asahi-san, there you are.” Yuu smiled. “We’ve been looking all over for you.”

“Ah, yeah, I’ve been, sort of, well-”

Yuu punched him. “Spit it out.”

“I’ve been here the whole time.”

“Well, you worried everyone, you big doofus,” Yuu said. 

He inched his way through the branches until he was into Asahi’s little hiding space. Without so much as a moment’s hesitation, he climbed into the odler boy’s lap, legs kicked off to one side and head resting on Asashi’s broad chest.

“We had to kick Tsukishima’s ass first, of course, but you’re always first on my to do list.”

“That sounds…sexual, Yuu.”

Asahi had never seen the younger boy freeze so fast, his face turning red.

“S-shut up Asahi-san, you know what I meant.” Yuu scurried off of his lap quicker than he got on. “Let’s go. The team is worried about you.”

When they were both out, leaves brushed out of their hair, Yuu grabbed onto his hand, lacing their fingers together.

“Don’t let go,” he ordered. “I’m not letting you run off again.”

Asahi just gently rubbed the top of Yuu’s hand. Those small hands always felt so comfortable in his, bringing the beat of his heart to a calmer state. 

He’d never admit it to Yuu, oh never. If there was one thing he didn’t want to do, and it was ruin one of his most dear friendships.


End file.
